Communication systems for high voltage power line



April 22, 1969 HAFNER 3,440,576

COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS FOR HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE Original Filed June 19, 1965 EQUIPMENT INVENTOR THEODORE HAFNER United States Patent 3,440,576 COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS FOR HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE Theodore Hafner, 1501 Broadway, New York, NY. 10036 Continuation of application Ser. No. 473,035, June 19, 1965. This application Mar. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 624,961 Int. Cl. H01p 3/12 US. Cl. 333-95 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention consists of a surface wave conductor, including a steel core, a conducting layer, surrounding said steel core and a dielectric coating surrounding said conducting layer, and defining a surface wave of predetermined field diameter, said surface wave conductor forming at least one end, near one tower the inner conductor of a coaxial line which is closed at its outer end, from which said surface wave conductor emerges after having passed through it; and means for grounding at said tower the conducting layer of said surface wave conductor emerging from said coaxial line while attaching its steel core to said tower.

This invention relates to power communication systems, more specifically to systems providing communications in the widest possible sense, including, voice, data, and control signal transmission over high voltage power lines.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 473,035 filed June 19, 1965, now abandoned, which was a division of application Ser. No. 336,282 filed Jan. 7, 1964, now Patent No. 3,201,724.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully apparent from the drawings annexed herewith in which:

FIG. 1 shows the attachment of the terminal horn of a surface wave transmission line which is supported on a number of towers of a voltage power transmission systern.

FIG. 2 shows a specific grounding device for a termination such as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 shows an attachment similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as applied to a pair of intermediate adjoining horns supported on the towers of a high voltage power transmission system.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the termination section 59 of a surface wave transmission line which extends on the towers of a high voltage power transmission system, consists of a terminal horn 60 with a cylindrical extension 61, supported directly on an end portion 62 of the metallic carrier or core 63 of the surface wave conductor 64, which preferably consists of flexible or multistrand steel wire. Core 6.3 is fixed within horn '60 by means of screws 65 holding core 63 in metallic sleeve 66 forming part of the inner conductor of the coaxial line section 67 which terminates horn 60.

Core 63 of surface wave conductor 64 is led at 66 to the outside of coaxial line '67 and can be attached directly for mechanical as well as electrical connection, to a post girder or any other supporting structure schematically indicated at 68 by means of a hinged connection schematically indicated at 69, 70.

At the same time, the electrical connection of horn 60 is effected sidewise at stub 71 by means of a coaxial cable 72 the inner conductor of which is connected at 73 to the inner conductor 66 of coaxial line 67, the other end 74 of coaxial cable 72 is connected to receiver or transmitter equipment schematically indicated at 75 which is grounded at 76.

In the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 2, safety and grounding of the arrangement may be enhanced or effec- 'ice tively separated by inserting in the coaxial cable 72 a T- shaped coaxial line section schematically indicated at 77, the center bar of which provides or is connected to the equipment ground While the cross bar connects at one end to the termination horn and at the other end to equipment not shown, or to another coaxial cable leading to such equipment.

FIG. 3 shows a pair of horns such as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 used for intermediate supporting arrangements on the tower of a high voltage power transmission system which is equipped with the surface wave transmission line for communication or control purposes.

In this case the two end pieces 77, 78 of the respective core or carriers 79, 80 of surface wave conductors 81, 82 extend in opposite directions from a tower of which in part is schematically indicated in FIG. 3 at 83. End pieces 77, 78, or if necessary pieces welded or otherwise attached to it, and preferably forming a single mechanical and electrical unit therewith, are connected preferably to opposite parts or girders of tower structure 83 in an adjustable manner, permitting variation in length as well as in the angle of intersection, and providing at the same time for the grounding of the surface wave transmission line.

Interconnection of the two horns is effected bycoaxial cable in a mannner similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and as indicated in FIG. 3 at 84.

While the invention has been illustrated and described by way of certain mechanical and electrical arrangements, structures, shapes and connections, it is not limited thereto but may be applied in any form or manner whatsoever without the departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a communication system for high voltage power lines, a number of high voltage transmission towers, a surface wave conductor including a steel core, a conducting layer surrounding said steel core and a dielectric coating surrounding said conducting layer, and defining a surface wave of predetermined field diameter, said surface wave conductor forming at least at one end, near one tower the inner conductor of a coaxial line which is closed at its outer end, from which said surface wave conductor emerges after having passed through it; and means for conductively connecting while attaching to said tower said surface wave conductor emerging from said coaxial line so as to permit said surface wave conductor to be a grounded wire.

2. In a communications system for high voltage power lines, a number of high voltage transmission towers, a surface wave conductor including a steel core, a conducting layer surrounding said steel core, and a dielectric coating surrounding said conducting layer, and defining a surface wave field of predetermined diameter; said surface wave conductor extending in the form of separately cut cable sections from one tower to the next one; the ends of adjacent cable sections near one tower forming each the inner conductor of a coaxial line which is closed at its outer ends, from which the cable end emerges after having passed through it; and means for conductively connecting while attaching to said tower each cable end emerging from its coaxial line at opposite sides of said tower so as to permit each surface wave conductor to be a ground wire.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1956 Grieg. 7/ 1960 Hafner. 

